Ian Johnson's The Type Of Player Minnesota Will Embrace

Talk about a guy you can’t help but cheer for.

Ian Johnson became an instant celebrity in 2007 after his game-winning touchdown meets romantic (yet awfully public) proposal to cheerleader girlfriend at the Fiesta Bowl, when his underdog Boise State squad knocked off heavily favored Oklahoma before the nation’s eyes.

Now, he’s an undrafted addition to the Vikings preseason roster. As a professional, the 6-foot, 196-pound Johnson will be trying to tap into one of the finest backfields in the NFL—not an easy task for any rookie running back.

Can he do it? Can the man who became synonymous with the Broncos rise from obscurity to national prominence become a viable option in the Vikings’ 2009 plans?

That’s yet to be determined. But there’s no doubt he’ll have enough fan support to help him along the way.

Minnesotans have a special place in their hearts for a guy like Johnson—a guy who stole an essentially predetermined BCS game away from the Sooners by scoring on that Statue of Liberty, two-point conversion miracle in overtime.

He rushed for 1,714 yards and 25 touchdowns that season, and in the process he became the focal point of attention for the Broncos as they pranced through the Western Athletic Conference over the next two years. Boise State went a combined 35-4 during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

Much of that had to do with Johnson’s ability to gain yards under pressure and find the end zone (he had 59 touchdowns in his collegiate career), but his numbers in his last two years in Boise never matched his standout sophomore campaign.

Johnson’s trek toward becoming a part of Minnesota’s game plan will be a long one. Still, he’s shown ambition and athleticism throughout his career.

And like the rest of the country, Minnesotans were there as he sealed perhaps the biggest upset in BCS history, then cheered as he proposed right there on the Sun Devil Stadium sidelines.

He’s not afraid to take a chance. That’s why Vikings fans will take a chance on him.